“Be still, and know that I am God.”
Psalm 46:10a NIV
If I’m being real and honest, my life currently is FAR from simple and I’m having a hard time ‘being still.’ Because I work with schools and districts, August is completely bananas. I’m on and off airplanes and in and out of my car and hotels more times than I care to count this month. I have LOTS of SUPER early mornings/meetings and events that keep me up WAY past my bedtime. (If you know me well, you KNOW how much I love early to bed, early to rise.)
In addition, there’s some excitement building around ‘The Wait’ and I am SO hopeful that in the near future, that will be coming to fruition. And WHEN it does (see what I did there…WHEN, not IF…#TheCircleMaker), it’s going to add a whole ‘nother level of craziness on top of the current.
So this morning, the Lord blessed me by waking me up earlier than usual and graciously gave me some time to be still. Porch sittin’ and coffee drinkin’ as the sun peaked over the horizon… SO rare in this season.
It’s funny how He works… Sometimes I just cry in awe of His presence, when I can FEEL Him near. When I can FEEL the stillness… And for me, the BEST way I can experience this is to wake up early BEFORE the craziness of the day takes over. It just does something good for my heart. It soothes my spirit and calms my soul. His mercies are new every morning and to experience the birth of a new day personifies Lamentations 3:23. Great is His faithfulness!
There are several devotionals I read each morning. One of my favorites comes into my email around 4:00 am and is ready for me as I start my quiet time. Today’s Daily Hope by Rick Warren just happened to be on ‘being still’ on a morning the Lord woke me early to ‘be still.’ Can I get an amen for a divine appointment?! You can read it here: To Hear God, Get Near To God.
Being still is hard sometimes. I’ll be the first to admit it. But OHHHH the peace that comes in the stillness… May we all desire the stillness and the harmony it brings to our spirit and soul.
Where do you find stillness throughout your day? Do you ‘porch sit’ and ‘coffee drink?’ Is it found on a quiet bench during a break? What about before you lay your head to rest? What benefits do you gain from being still? I’d love for you to share in the comments below.
I plan for stillness each day. During the week, I awaken at 3:00 AM. I spend this time marveling over the quie perfection of the pre dawn hours. I reflect on the past and present. I listen to my heart, smile at memories of my baby sister, shed quiet tears of sadness and gratitude, peek in at my sleeping babies and blow kisses to amazing “sleepyhead” husband. I tidy up around the house, shower, and wake my husband for morning prayer. In Islam we are taught that “prayer is better than sleep,” so morning prayer is the foundation of my day. My mornings provide me with focus and gratitude for God’s continued grace and mercy in my life. I set the tone to have a spectacular day!
WHOA! I thought I got up early!!!! Bless you girl!!! I know getting up this early really sets the tone for a positive day. Thank you for sharing this! 🙂